Christmas One Shots
by Generalpandathefourth
Summary: Quick prompt fills from a christmas theamed thing on Tumblr
1. Chapter 1

It was cold and cheerful and Gail was miserable. There was Christmas music everywhere, children and parents littered the packed streets, bells ringing and horns honking obnoxiously. But worse of all, they stood in the middle of a flurry. A fucking flurry. And not one of those cute little ones that could easily be mistaken for a heavy snow fall, no, it was snowing as if they stood in a snow globe and a manic child was shaky it.

But still there they were, all huddled up in their coats, mitts, hats and scarves, attempting to watch the Christmas parade.

"Holly, we've been here for twenty minutes, can't we go now?" She complained, yelling over the ruckus of the event.

Holly turned to her girlfriend, a huge grin on her face, and Gail's heart melted. Her nose and cheeks were red, her dark eyes sparkled with wonder. The was until their eyes met. The sparkle died out and in its place stood 'I guess'. Gail's stomach dropped. "Yeah. My glasses are a mess in this snow and it is pretty cold out here, I feel like my nose is going to fall off any second." She tried to joke but it fell flat, to anyone else it would have been fine, Gail knew better and could hear the quiet disappointment.

"No." She drew out the word and wrapped her arms around one of Holly's. "Wipe off your glasses 'cause we're staying till the end." She sighed and nuzzled into her girlfriend. Gail hadn't remembered to bring gloves so she hid her hands in Holly's armpit, and burrowed her freezing nose into Holly's scarf.

"We don't have to, really. It's freezing and you're miserable. We can see Santa at the mall with Anne this weekend, really it's no big deal." Holly continued to try and convince the blonde about leaving, none of which was real, not when her tone was so low and she stopped smiling. Gail untucked herself from the brunette and without hesitation she pulled Holly in by her scarf. The doctors words died on Gail's lips. Their noses were freezing, and their lips were no better, but it did taste like hot chocolate and Holly was smiling again. So maybe Christmas parades weren't _horrible._


	2. Chapter 2

(Boxing Gloves au)

"Babe, what is Piper and Dax covered in?" Holly called into the house. She'd just gotten home from a call and was greeted by her children, who were covered in something black. It didn't look like paint or marker, and she couldn't think of anything else they had that they could have gotten into.

She took hold of Piper's wrist and picked up Daxton, careful not to get whatever it was on herself, and guided them through the house in search of the T.O. "Gail?"

"Yeah?" The blonde called out from the second floor.

"Come're." She didn't want to have the kids climbing the stairs and making a bigger mess.

"Are we in trouble?" Piper questioned, not meeting Holly's eyes.

Gail was clomping down the steps while she answered. "That depends on what you did." She raised a questioning brow.

"It worked!" Gail exclaimed.

Holly shot her a bewildered look.

"It's coal, they're covered in coal. I booby-trapped the presents." The blonde looked very proud of herself.

"You booby-trapped the presents?"

"Yeah because she does this every goddamn year!" She pointed accusingly at their sheepish daughter.

Holly burst out laughing. Of course her wife would do something like booby-trapping the Christmas presents. Everyone else joined in the laughter, the brunette's was contagious. When it died down she handed Daxton over to the blonde, "have fun cleaning them off."

"But you found them so you have to clean them, that's the rule." Gail held out the boy, a sly smirk playing at her lips.

Holly gently pushed the baby back into her wife's arms and kissed her. "This is your mess too, so regular rules are over ridden." She started walking away, leaving Gail with two kids covered in coal. "Have fun, love."


	3. Chapter 3

Holly hesitantly knocked on the unfamiliar door. She was exhausted and giddy and nervous, and she wasn't quite sure which one was more prominent. There was no answer so she tried again.

Still nothing.

She sighed and rested her head on the door, her cheek tickled by the reef that hung there. "Of course you're not home." It was Christmas evening, and Gail had said something about going to Traci's so she could celebrate with her and Leo.

Holly stayed there, pressed to Gail's front door on the verge of tears, for what felt like hours before wallowing back to her car.

It was far below freezing and she didn't want to get frostbitten. _Maybe it was a mistake to drive all the way down here_ , she thought to herself as she turned on her car, _I should have just settled with the phone call._ The thought to leave without trace was tempting, going over her impulse decision showed her how stupid it was. Driving for 41 hours from her parents place in Vancouver to Gail's, showing up in the middle of the night, it was all stupid. They had only talked twice since she left for San Fransisco, once when Steve was put on trial, and once the previous night. Which had only lasted five minutes because Holly's phone cut out and lost signal -her parents place was out in the middle of nowhere.

After the call, after hearing Gail's voice, she just couldn't keep herself away any longer. She had to try and fight for the love of her life. And there she was, curled up in her car, sitting in Gail's driveway. I'll Be Home For Christmas started playing, and the soft melodies took her off to sleep, tears sitting just behind her eyelashes.

Holly jumped awake when there was a tap at their window, her heart pounded out of her chest in fright. She caught her rapid breath and fumbled for her glasses, if it wasn't enough that her windows were frosting over and it was that dark morning light, she had to be sans glasses too when she was attacked.

A muffled laugh was the first thing she noticed when she calmed enough to look around for the cause of her waking, a laugh she hadn't heard in person for just over a year, a laugh that fuelled her her heart and put it inter overdrive, a laugh that never seized to put a smile on her face. Holly quickly unlocked her car and ended up falling out into the snow with how fast she was trying to get out.

Strong hands, covered with warn callouses, were in hers before she could open her eyes. And when Holly did open them she wasn't disappointed in the least with what she was met with. There, standing tall above her, was Gail. The street lamps and slowly rising sun did a wonderful job in lighting her perfectly.

"You're even more beautiful than I remembered." Holly said, breathlessly in awe. Gail was like an angel. She couldn't tell if it was the cold or if she really was blushing, but Gail's cheeks grew an adorable shade of pink, and the thought that she did that brought a few butterflies to her tummy.

"I can say the same about you." Gail smiled shyly. They stayed there and stared at each other. It'd been far too long since they saw one another, and they both were taking in every detail, familiar and new.

Until Holly shivered and it came to both of their attention that she was still in the snow and it was freezing out. Gail pulled the brunette to her feet and pulled her in for a hug. She wrapped her arms around Holly's waist and held her tight, tucking her nose into the shorter locks of dark hair that she had missed so much.

"Merry Christmas, Lunchbox."

Holly sighed happily. She was finally home. "Merry Christmas, Gail. I love you.


	4. Chapter 4

"Oh surprise, another box." Holly was annoyed. Really _really_ annoyed and it grew with every box she unwrapped and opened.

So far the tally was six, and Gail was beginning to question her decision to use so many. She nervously scratched the back of her head.

"I will kill you if this is a stupid gift." Holly shot her a murderous glare.

Panic set in. Was it a stupid gift? No. The gift wasn't stupid, it was either going to be the best gift ever or the crappiest one that left their relationship in cold water. She wanted to annoy the brunette a little, maybe giggling in anticipation for what it'd be, but this? The death glares and growls of hatred. Not what she wanted, not what she prepared for. And it only pushed her over the edge and into the abyss of nerves. How was she supposed to ask when oxygen was struggling up and down her throat.

Holly replied open another box, count eight. "You know I hate how you do this. Every fucking year. I plan on at least one gift to be ridiculously wrapped in a couple boxes, but this is excessive. Eight goddamn boxes, Gail!" She tore at the wrapping paper of the ninth box, an _I_ was drawn on it. Holly looked to an extremely nervous Gail and corked an eyebrow.

Gail shrugged.

Box ten had a beautifully coloured heart. Again she looked to her girlfriend, this time softening slightly. The blonde looked more scared than when they got their flu shots, and she'd cried then.

Box eleven had a U, decorated in little bones, glasses, handcuffs, and doughnuts. All done by hand. She carefully opened that box, wanting to save it, and sighed. Another fucking box. When will it end?!

Box twelve was plain, black and smooth. It felt like it'd be the one, it was different from all the rest, this one meant something. Plus it was pretty small, not much could actually fit in it let alone have another box that contained a gift. Holly's jaw clenched when she opened it.

"A tiny lunchbox?" She yelled in disbelief. "All of that for a tiny lunchbox, are you serious!"

Despite everything, all of her doubting feelings, Gail laughed. She actually laughed. Holly, the smartest person ever, the one that solves murders and cold cases, couldn't figure out when she was being proposed to.

Holly was on her feet and out of the pile of wrapping paper and boxes in a flash. Gail followed suit, picking up the tiny lunchbox as she went.

Holly was in the kitchen, pouring herself a coffee. She was tense. Her back was tight, shoulders ridged, and the hand that wasn't pouring was in a tight fist. Gail approached cautiously and placed the tin on the counter, and with a kiss to Holly's shoulder she moved beside her to lean on the counter.

"I would like to cool off for a moment please." Holly cooly said, not meeting the blondes eyes.

"Open it, please, and if you still want it I'll go and wait in the living room." Gail murmured. All nerves gone, she wasn't sure when they left or where they'd gone but she was happy they left. She was confident in her gift, and this would all make a really good story.

Holly took a deep breath.

"Please." Gail pressed gently.

Holly let go of her mug and picked up the tin lunchbox. She flipped open the tiny latch and her breath caught in her chest, her jaw dropped. "Is this?"

"Holly," the brunette met Gail's eyes at her name. Gail's smile wider than it had ever been before, "will you marry m-?"

"Yes." Holly cut her off with a kiss. A concession of yeses followed between teared stricken kisses.


	5. Chapter 5

Gail ran to the bin of decorations and plucked a pretty green bulb. Then carefully ran back to the tree and scoped out the perfect place for it. She held it with one finger in the fish hook, causing Holly's mom to silently worry her bottom lip between her teeth.

Ruth took a deep breath to try and calm her fear. It happened every year, and with each child it only got worse, this year taking the cake home. There were four of them. One eleven year old, one seven, one eight, and a one year old.

Erin was usually pretty good, at eleven she'd gotten the decorating thing down, only took seven years of her and her husbands constant chanting of 'be careful' 'that's glass go slow'. Holly had always been gentle, she was almost too careful, and had more than one occasion yelled at her sister to slow down and watch out for her when she's walking. Gail, Ruth was coming to find, was a lot like Erin had been. The small blonde raced back and forth between the tree and the bins, overjoyed with it all. Except Gail took it more seriously than her oldest daughter had, maybe it had to do with how she was raised or maybe it was the fact that this wasn't her house. Ruth didn't know, it really didn't matter. And Eric was just a baby, only having the attention span to put on a few things before something else caught his eye and he was off chasing it.

"Mrs. Stewart?" Gail pulled her out of her thoughts. The girl stood close to her, seemingly a little timid or shy, she wasn't sure which.

"Yes, sweetie?" She smiled at the strawberry blonde.

"Do you have someone named Gail in your family? 'Cause this one," she held up a doughnut ornament, "says Gail and Holly doesn't know either."

Ruth's smile widened. She had planned to take it out and give it to her at the end, but she forgot to take it out of the bin before opening them for the kids. "Holly should know, she's the one who brought her into the family."

Gail met her answer with an adorable bewildered look.

She laughed, getting the attention of everyone else.

"It's for you, Gail." Her husband spoke up from his place in the doorway, holding a tray of hot chocolates for everyone.

"Me?" Gail's voice was high, like she couldn't believe her ears. She licked her lips and stared down at the ornament. "Really?"

"Yes." Ruth wrapped her hand around the girls.

Gail swallowed hard and met her eyes. She gave a small, sincere, smile. "Thank you Missus and Mister Stewart. I love it."

"You're welcome sweetheart." She rubbed Gail's hand affectionately.

"And it's Ruth and Jack, remember." Her husband winked and passed the girl her hot chocolate.

Jack sat in beside her on the couch and passed her her hot chocolate. They both sighed happily as they watched their youngest daughter tell her friend to place her new ornament next to hers, a cute little stethoscope with her own name on it.

"A doughnut and a stethoscope, who knew eh?" Ruth mused at the girls.

Jack chuckled. "Who knew."

The tree looked like shit. Gail had gone overboard with the tinsel, and it really showed that it was her first time decorating a Christmas tree. But Ruth wouldn't have had it any other way, it was all done with care and joy, and done by the hands and minds of those she loved most.


	6. Chapter 6

The annual Christmas party was being held at Oliver Shaw's, it was the only reason why it was still happening and why the deathly heat was worth it. At least for Gail. If it had been anyone else's radiator that broke, heating the house with rays the sun would be proud of, and continued to have a party Gail would have been out the second she was told where to put any cloths off.

She had of course opted to wear a dress for once, she figured that it was supposed to be a nice station party and she should put a little something junto her looks. The boys had worn their nice clothes as well. So when they got there and they could strip down to their boxers or whatever state of undress they wanted, Gail was furious. All she had under her dress was underwear, underwear not to be seen by all of her fellow officers.

So she had to stick it out by running ice cubes over all exposed skin. While of course drinking her body weight in the free alcohol, and stuffing her face with all the treats Celery had whipped up for them.

"Where'd you get the ice?" Someone asked, all too close to her chair for her liking.

"The freezer, where else." She rolled her eyes at the woman's stupidity.

"Lots of places. For example, a cooler or maybe in a bucket outside in the snow, for all I know you took it out of your drink." The stranger rambled off, aching on Gail's want to leave.

She huffed out a breath and turned to face the mystery woman who obviously didn't work at 15 or else she wouldn't have approached Gail. She opened her mouth to give a witty remark, to put the woman in her place, when she met the persons eyes all was lost on her tongue. The woman was stunning and only wearing tight leather pants and a lacy red bra. Beads of sweat covered her tan skin and made the loose hairs around her neck stick to the heated skin. Gail swallowed hard and tore her eyes away. Only for them to find their way back and continue their assault to the stranger she suddenly really wanted to know that name of.

"Like what you see?" The woman smirked. A teasing little curve of her delicious looking lips.

Gail shrugged.

"Can you point me in the direction of the fridge?" The brunette's smirk was still in place, a mischievous fire in her dark eyes.

Gail wanted more. Needed more. Without thinking she held out the cube she'd been working over her skin, she wouldn't need it anymore anyway, there was a new heat in her veins and no amount of ice was going to quell it.

The woman took the offered half melted cube, whispered a thanks, and begun to run it over her salted skin. She didn't stay long, only letting Gail watch one line from her pant line up her abdomen, between her breasts and over her chest, ending at the back of her neck.

Gail shuddered as she watched and her lip was for sure bleeding, "and a very Merry Christmas to me."


	7. Chapter 7

(goes with the last chapter)

The annual Christmas party was being held at Oliver Shaw's, it was the only reason why it was still happening and why the deathly heat was worth it. At least for Gail. If it had been anyone else's radiator that broke, heating the house with rays the sun would be proud of, and continued to have a party Gail would have been out the second she was told where to put any cloths off.

She had of course opted to wear a dress for once, she figured that it was supposed to be a nice station party and she should put a little something junto her looks. The boys had worn their nice clothes as well. So when they got there and they could strip down to their boxers or whatever state of undress they wanted, Gail was furious. All she had under her dress was underwear, underwear not to be seen by all of her fellow officers.

So she had to stick it out by running ice cubes over all exposed skin. While of course drinking her body weight in the free alcohol, and stuffing her face with all the treats Celery had whipped up for them.

"Where'd you get the ice?" Someone asked, all too close to her chair for her liking.

"The freezer, where else." She rolled her eyes at the woman's stupidity.

"Lots of places. For example, a cooler or maybe in a bucket outside in the snow, for all I know you took it out of your drink." The stranger rambled off, aching on Gail's want to leave.

She huffed out a breath and turned to face the mystery woman who obviously didn't work at 15 or else she wouldn't have approached Gail. She opened her mouth to give a witty remark, to put the woman in her place, when she met the persons eyes all was lost on her tongue. The woman was stunning and only wearing tight leather pants and a lacy red bra. Beads of sweat covered her tan skin and made the loose hairs around her neck stick to the heated skin. Gail swallowed hard and tore her eyes away. Only for them to find their way back and continue their assault to the stranger she suddenly really wanted to know that name of.

"Like what you see?" The woman smirked. A teasing little curve of her delicious looking lips.

Gail shrugged.

"Can you point me in the direction of the fridge?" The brunette's smirk was still in place, a mischievous fire in her dark eyes.

Gail wanted more. Needed more. Without thinking she held out the cube she'd been working over her skin, she wouldn't need it anymore anyway, there was a new heat in her veins and no amount of ice was going to quell it.

The woman took the offered half melted cube, whispered a thanks, and begun to run it over her salted skin. She didn't stay long, only letting Gail watch one line from her pant line up her abdomen, between her breasts and over her chest, ending at the back of her neck.

Gail shuddered as she watched and her lip was for sure bleeding, "and a very Merry Christmas to me."


	8. Chapter 8

"No, secret Santa sucks and I'm not doing it." Frankie stood her ground. She hated the holidays, they were always too cheerful and everyone secretly hates each other, you were supposed to burn money on people who would later toss it away. Family was always awful, drunk and yelling.

"But Frankie you have to or else it's uneven." Chloe whined from behind her. They'd just finished a quick lunch break at their favourite coffee shop and we're on their way back to the squad car.

"I really couldn't give less of a fuck." She threw out her garbage and opened the door. Chloe spun her around, stopping her just in the doorway, blocking it off to anyone.

"Common, it'll be fun. Someone would be getting you something in secret, you'd get to pick something out for someone else, the anonymity is excited enough on its own." She clung to Frankie's arm, something she'd been doing a lot of, on the verge of using puppy eyes. "It's Christmas." Chloe added as if that was going to help.

Frankie rolled her eyes. Bells rang, loud and clanging, grabbing everyone's attention to the cashier.

"Mistletoe." She announce with a mischievous grin, pointing just over Frankie and Chloe's heads.

The two looked up at the mistletoe then down at each other.

"Nope." Frankie shook her down and made a move to leave, but before she could Chloe had a and on the back of her neck. The little redhead was a lot stronger than she looked and was able to pull in her partner for a sweet, chaste kiss.

Chloe exited the shop just after wiping her lipstick off of the detectives lip, a big smile set high in her eyes, her cheeks already rosie. Frankie stumbled out a second later, dazed and confused. Her lips tingled and there were butterflies in her stomach and she didn't know why.

"What was that?"

"A classic Christmas tradition, in which you kiss when under mistletoe with another person." Chloe stated simply.


	9. Chapter 9

Chloe's face lit up brighter than all of the twinkling lights she'd set up around the treehouse. Her eyes sparkled a delightful dance of wonder. She slowly and carefully lifted up her new necklace to get a better look, to see it twinkle in the lights, to fully appreciate every angle. It was beautiful.

"If you don't like it, I-I can take it back and get a different one. I really don't mind, I just-" Frankie babbled nervously. She hated not knowing, hated waiting, hated putting herself out there. Chloe cut her off with a tackling hug, one that squeezed her ribs and left her breathless on the cold floor.

"I love it! Thank you, Frankie."

"Are you sure?"

Chloe kissed her cheek and got back in her nook of pillows. "Positive. It's beautiful, just like you."

"I'm glad you like it." Frankie hoped her blush would be mistaken as the pink you got from being out in the cold. Sure they were in the old treehouse they once helped build, the widen floor covered in blankets and pillows, their hot breath and candy cane hot chocolates heating the air, but it was still dead of winter and well below zero. Rosie cheeks would bound to happen, the fact that it appeared just after a hug, kiss, and compliment meant nothing.

"Can you help me?" The shorter girl asked, holding out necklace. Frankie got on her knees and took the chilled silver, waiting for her friend to sweep her hair from her neck. She swallowed hard as she gently wrapped it around Chloe's delicate neck, her skin was soft and warm. She fumbled a bit but she managed to clip it on.

"There." Frankie patted the closed clasp and but her lip as Chloe released her hair.

"Thank you." Chloe was so sincere that it took Frankie's breath away.

She cleared her throat and sat back in her seat, taking a large sip of her hot chocolate. "Where's mine?"

Chloe pulled a perfectly wrapped box out from her backpack. "It's really lame compared to what you gave me, so please keep in mind that I plan on making up for it."

"I'm sure it can't be lamer than the magnet Gail got me." Frankie assured her best friend.

"That is a fabulous magnet." Chloe berated with a smile.

"Do I look the fabulous type?" She raised a brow and took the offered gift.

"Always." The shorter girl winked.

Frankie shook her head and willed herself not to giggle, Frankie Anderson didn't giggle. She occupied herself by ripping the neatly folded paper, smiling at the Frosty paper, until she got to a white box. She opened the box and pulled out a mug. A handmade mug, one Chloe must have done in her ceramics class, it was a little lopsided and not the prettiest thing she's ever seen but it was perfect. It was white with blue snowflakes, the handle made to look like a candy cane, and on the side facing away from her read 'Cranky Pants' in a failed attempt at fleece pajamma pants.

"It's perfect." Frankie smiled brightly at the smaller girl. "Thank you."

Chloe blushed a deep red, which made fireflies swim around Frankie's stomach with how adorable she looked. She knew she was in deep, that there was no more denying her feelings for Chloe, they'd grown too much to ignore anymore. "Merry Christmas, Cranky."

"Merry Christmas, Muppet." She would tell her one day, Frankie promised herself. One day they might do just what they were doing, but surrounded by a life they'd built together.


	10. Chapter 10

Gail pulled the sweater over her head and grimaced at the image in the mirror. Ugly Christmas sweater indeed. It was handmade, just for her, it showed in the big G knitted into her back shoulder.

"You look so cute in your sweater! Grammy is going to be so excited it fits, she was really worried." Holly exuded happily, pulling her own sweater down and into place. She smiled fondly at the little reindeer and snowmen that matched her wife's. She'd never been crazy about the holiday, never the one to rush decorating, but she did love everything that came with Christmas. The lights, the glow about the city, the low buzz of excitement, peppy, soft, jazzy songs that everyone could sing along to, but most of all she loved the sweater her Grandmother made each year. Holly was her Grammy's only grandchild so she got spoiled with each holiday, each visit, and she felt the special love in every knot of her sweater. They always smelled like her perfume, like her cozy little house, and they were warm and soft. Holly looked forward to a new one each year, and was absolutely ecstatic that her wife now had one too.

Gail grunted. Turning around she burst out laughing, the brunette looked even worse in her sweater. "Grammy really knows her ugly sweaters. She should enter a contest or something."

"Hey, they're amazing, and comfy." Holly pointedly told the blonde.

"I'm just saying, they do the job." Gail gave her a chaste kiss and went to the bathroom to continue getting ready.

They were on their way to Holly's grandmothers house, she'd offered to make them dinner seeing as how they weren't going to be able to make it to the actual family dinner. The two women were going to be in the sun and sand from the twentieth to the twenty-eighth, and Grammy wanted to send them off with stomachs full of Christmas.

"I'm going to load the car, hurry up, I don't want to be late." Holly threw over her shoulder.

"Lunchbox, relax. We have plenty of time before we said we'd be there."

"I know, I know. I'm just excited." She skipped down the stairs, grabbing her coat as she went out the door.

"And everyone thinks I'm the child." Gail shook her head at her reflection.

Holly didn't even knock on the door when they got there, she just strolled in as if it was her own house, knocked off her boots, hung up her coat and practically ran to her grandmother. Grammy hadn't even had time to take a step away from her chair before Holly was clinging on to her. Gail watched on, fully content to take her time to pull her winter gear off and witness their interaction. Grammy was Gail's favourite to visit, if her cooking hadn't won her over -the cooking that was an awful lot like her wife's- than the way Holly and her acted together, their bond, would have. Holly descended back to a child when around the elder woman.

"Thank you for the sweater, Grammy, I absolutely love it." Holly earnestly thanked her, her clear joy for the thing evident in her wide smile.

The eldest of the Stewart's waved her off. "Ah it was nothin' dear, always happy to knit you your Christmas sweater." She patted Holly's stomach and looked over her should at Gail.

"Hey, sorry to be so early. I couldn't hold this one back any longer." Gail nodded to her wife with a small smile.

"That's alright, Holly's a hard one to contain when excited." Grammy's grin grew and she winked at Gail.

"Don't I know it." Gail smirked and glanced at the brunette, who was trying to give them both an unimpressed glare but it really turned out to be a forced, childish pout, and only added fire to Gail's amusement.

"We got you a little something." She handed the grey haired woman the slender box in her hands and took off her coat.

Grammy sent Holly a look, silently berating her for getting her something, she'd clearly stated that cooking for them was present enough. Holly slinked back like a scolded puppy, a hint of a mischievous grin playing at her lips. Grammy shook her head as she pulled the bow Holly had spent twenty minutes perfecting, she was excited, Gail could tell, it was in the bit of her lip, the uncontainable spark in her dark eyes. Just like Holly.

Gail turned her eyes to her wife, looking forward more to watching her reaction than Grammy's. Holly was giddy, pure, childishly giddy. Her adoration for the brunette was overwhelming, starting in her chest like a searing sun and beaming through every other part of her. Grammy's eyes lit up, making Holly's do the same, brighter even, and Gail could swear Holly held her breath for the reaction.

"Its beautiful." She breathed, tracing a finger over the silver necklace tucked safely in its box. "You really shouldn't have."

Holly all but exploded with delight, making Gail's heart skip a beat. "Yes, we did, turn it over."

Gail's attention flicked back to the eldest Stewart, now also waiting impatiently. They had shopped long and hard for the perfect necklace, in and out of five stores, and had been waiting two months to be able to give it to Grammy. She'd never had family moments like that, the one they were creating, never had someone outside of Holly pop into her head when some thing big happened. It was new and exciting.

Grammy slowly, oh so slowly, flipped the little bird over and read the engraved message. She gasped and looked between the two women with wide eyes. "Really!"

"Merry Christmas Grammy!" Holly kissed her cheek with a smacking sound.

"You're the first to know." Gail added happily. Once done hugging her granddaughter Grammy pulled Gail into a big one, sealing it with a kiss to the cheek. Normally that wasn't Gail's thing, hugging and the works, but this once, this moment, she could let it slip and enjoy the festivities.

Grammy wiped a tear from her eye and looked back at the necklace. "How far along?"

"Fourteen weeks." Holly grinned, proud.

"Wow." Grammy breathed in amazement.

"You kids have fun now, before you know it you'll have no time for yourselves." Grammy grinned from ear to ear as she shooed them out the door.

"Yes, Grammy." Holly giggled.

"Take care of yourselves, I don't need to worry any more than I already do."

"Always." Gail promised on her way out the door. "And thank you for the sweater, Holly was right, it is really comfortable."

"You're welcome, dear. Safe drive."

From the car they have one last wave, more than happy they had agreed to the dinner, and ready for the much needed vacation.


	11. Chapter 11

"I'm not wearing that." Gail refused to even touch the outfit. Red and green tights, green dress, red pointy hat with a bell on the tip, and matching pointy slippers, all laid out neatly on Holly's bed.

Holly slumped her shoulders, her expression falling down with them. "Please?" She asked politely.

"Nope. Never gonna happen." Gail shook her head vigorously. She glanced at the brunette and back to the elf costume, and added a few more nope's just to be sure, she didn't care how pleadingly her girlfriend looked, nothing would get her to put on the ridiculous outfit let alone go out in it too. Nothing.

"Please." Holly drug out the word, adding in puppy eyes and a pouted lip.

"What did I just say, Hol?"

Holly's pout went from cute and begging to defeated in less then a second. She let out a drawn breath and scooped out the elf costume, throwing into her closet, "who's going to help me now? I can't do it by myself."

"I'll still help, I'm not cruel, I'm just not touching that awful outfit." Gail sated simply, trailing over to the brunette to try and cool her off, she could see great disappointment in her lips and wanted to wipe it away with her own. She slowly wrapped her arms around Holly's waist and placed feather kisses to the back of her neck.

She sighed. "You have to wear the costume to help."

"Wow. Strict rules at the Stewart Family Christmas." Gail half joked into the soft skin behind the brunette's ear. Earning herself a quiet chuckle.

"Its tradition, can't break from it." Holly mused, lacing her fingers with the blonde's.

"God forbid."

There was a pause, a pause Gail had started to learn was Holly's thoughtful silence, and in that moment it could only mean trouble.

She was miserable. A miserable, scratchy, elf. If her friends could her her they'd never, ever, let it down. Hell even she couldn't let it down. Gail looked ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous in tights and a dress, dawned with matching pointy hat and shoes, there wasn't enough money in the world to get her to ever do it again. But it wasn't money, and it was alcohol, it was sex. Well implied sex. Holly had finally agreed to put on Gail's cheer uniform, and nothing else could happen after but sex. Right?

Gail was counting on it, otherwise she'd be pissed. She'd already gotten a slowly forming bruise on her shin, a sneeze to the face, eggnog in her hair, and a paper cut, all from the grimy little snots that made up Holly's cousins. The paper cut hadn't been so bad, mostly her own doing, but Holly had swooped in and done her sexy doctor thing. Kissed it better and everything.

"Hey grumpous, have you seen my girlfriend, I've got a present for her." Holly sweetly walked up to a sulking Gail.

Gail sent her a daring look, not happy at all about the night. When she'd first agreed to go to Holly's family Christmas she didn't know it entailed so much. "Last I saw her was at your house. She said something about needing to find the perfect knife for her plan."

Holly fixed her with a crooked smile. "Oh. Then I guess I'll just keep onto this until she gets back."

"I don't know if she'll ever be back." Gail continued to message her sore feet. Another thing the darling children did, apparently they aren't the most coordinated bunch.

"That's too bad, I really liked her, she was funny." Holly plopped into the seat next to the grumpy elf, placing the neatly wrapped present onto the table behind them. She held in a smile when she caught Gail eyeing the gift, sizing it up and trying to school the want behind her eyes.

"Weird, most people are disappointed about losing the amazing sex. I heard through the grapevine that she's the best anyone's ever had."

Holly shrugged and pretended to be indifferent. "I have no idea what grapevine you've been listening to, but I have it under good authority that I have been her only. And between you and me, it's only alright."

Gail dropped her foot and turned to the peppy elf, mouth agape, a scoff creeping up from her chest. Holly shrugged and kept eye contact for as long as she could before cracking a smile.

"Take that back, Stewart." Gail tried to threaten but it only came out adorably with offence, tied in a cute bow with her elf hat tucked nicely behind her ears.

Holly shook her head, totally giving into the amusement and letting her smile freely take up all of her features. She loved teasing her usually steely and feared girlfriend. And riling her up whole dressed as an elf was an opportunity she couldn't pass on.

"Take. It. Back." Gail growled, her eyes igniting with fire while turning to ice, it was the most beautiful blue Holly had ever seen, a colour she'd forever entice to the surface. Holly smirked again, stood from her seat, and let her hair create a curtain around them.

"Make me." And just like that she was gone, headed toward the bathrooms with a swing in her hips.

Gail wasted no time in running after her.

It'd been four hours. Four hours of loud, sticky children. Four hours of awkward small talk with Holly's Aunts and Uncles. Four hours of pulling, itching, and readjusting her clothes. Four hours of Holly mercilessly teasing her, sending her winks, biting her lip while watching her with dark hungry eyes, brushing up against her at every chance. It was brutal.

Gail scratched at the rough seem at the back of her neck for what felt like the millionth time. She scowled at her girlfriend, "remind me again why I'm wearing this?"

Holly's cheerful smile fell into a crooked smirk, the one that brought Gail to her knees, the one that never failed to start a fire in the pit of her stomach. Gail swallowed hard in anticipation. Holly leaned in close, brushed her lips against her ear before kissing just shy of her strong jaw.

"Because I'm going to put on your cheerleader uniform," she kissed under her jaw, "and you are going to prove your skills to me." Holly bit her ear lobe and bounced back as if nothing had happened, smiling widely at her little cousins.

Gail was sure the tips of her ears were red, her mouth drier than the desert itself. She took a few breaths in an attempt to steady herself, she had a long night ahead of herself, and at the rate it was going she was going to fail, hard. She glanced back at the brunette, bent over talking very closely with a snotty nosed boy. Two more hours, she told herself, two more hours and they'd be back at Holly's.

Holly caught her daze eyed stare and sent her a wink before grabbing her cousins hand and letting him guide her to his new toy.


End file.
